Method of assembling plywood



June 29, 1943.

A. R. WELCH METHOD oF AssEMBLIN'G PLYwOOD 3 sheets-sheet U1 Filed Dec. 13, 1939 June 29; 1943.

A, R. WELCH METHOD oF AssEMBLING PLYwooD Filed Deo. 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ist: un: l

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Q Arfh mwa/Ch' xwlwllw June 29, `1943. A. R. wELcH METHOD OF ASSEMBLING PLYWOOD 3 sheets-sheet :s

Filed Dec. 13. 1939 man@ June 29, 194s UNITED STATES g PATENT OFFICE mi'rnon or AssaMaLING PLYwoon Arthur n. we1c11,noqu1ain, wash. Application December 1s, 1939, serial No. 309,086

` 1 calms. (o1. 144-s0m This invention relates to the operation of assembling plywood prior to pressing and has for its main object eliminating waste of glued core stock. A further important object is to make the assembly operation more emcient and especially to facilitate assembling theplywood on a conveyor. Another object is to vpermit closer trim`- ming of the component plies in general. g

Hitherto, in large scale, plywood manufacture Y such as the production of Douglas fir plywood,

conveyor assembly has been little used. The

method of assembling the usual three ply panels has been to lay one of the face plies down on a stationary assembly table and then pass through an adjacent glue spreader a succession of nars row rectangular pieces suitable for the core ply and lay them down successively side by side and edge to edge transversely to cover the surface of the face ply. The core stock is mostly cut random width, the 'pieces being suchas are obtainable from the log. To eliminate waste, many comparatively narrow pieces are handled, so that often six or eight core pieces are required for a` large 48" x 96" panel.

Whenthe core-layer has nearly. covered the surface of the face ply, a point is usually reached when-the next available piece will overlap the remainder of the face ply. At this stage, either oney of three courses is followed: A core piece may be laid which will give a wide overlap. Most of the overlap is then torn on and the torn portion, if wide enough, is used as the ilrst core piece'in assembling the next panel, allowing its irregular torn edge also to overlap. In some cases, it is found that the piece torn off will not be wide enough to be useful and, in that case,l

it 1s simply thrown away, losing both the piece of core and the glue which has been spread upon it. In other cases, the.available core piece is wide enough to ilnish the panel and leave a straight overlapping edge which is not objecti'onably wide. In that case, it is not torn off and then the next panel is started with an untorn piece.v While conditions in different mills vary, on the average these. overlapping pieces and the pieces which are thrown away always represent a considerable waste of both core'stock and glue. It is understood, of course, that as soon as the overlapping core piece is torn off, other operators lay Vdown two more face plies, theV lower one completing the first assembly and the upper one starting the next'one. y

The'point to be noted is that,V by this method, there is an overlapping useless piece of glued core stock extending out beyond each end of most of the panels that are assembled. Obviously, thispractice Wastes a'. very considerable amount of both core stock and adhesive, since, after the panels have been pressed, these overlapping ends are trimmed oi and burned up. l Furthermore', this overlap of glued stock overhangs the panel end and thereby causes `trouble by smearing s.

press plates if the panels are hotpressed. My

invention, by eliminating this waste, of course,

also does away with this smearing trouble and hence has an additional advantage when the panels are tube finished bythev hot press process.

To the accomplishment of the'foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described,1x and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain llusto receive the assemblies and provides facilities for performing the various assembly operations while the conveyor is carrying the stock past an adjacent glue spreader.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown diagrammatically suitable arrangements of apparatus and certain alternative preferred method steps which may be employed in practicing the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one layout.

Figure 2 'is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, similar to Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a plywood panel made in accordance with Figures l and 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view, similar to Figure 1, illustrating a modii'led method of assembly of the plies.

Figure 5 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, corresponding to Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged, diagrammatic, longitudinal, sectional view illustrating the manner of assembling the plies on the conveyorof Figures 4-and 5.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing a ply assembly prior to stacking. 4

Figure 8 a similar view showing the manner 1 of stacking the assemblies of Figure "l.

lFigure 9 is a similar view of a Plywood Panel made in accordance withthe method of Figures Figure 10.is a view'similar to Figure 6, but showing the manner of building up the plies on .the conveyor when a live-ply board is to be formed. i 1

Figure 11 showsthe mannervof stacking the ply assemblies of Figure after the latter have been cut, to produce a plurality of five-ply Figure 14 is aI diagrammatic plan view of a modified cutter, and

Figure 15 is a similar view of a modified method of assembling and cutting the plies.4

In practicing my invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, I provide a conveyor, usually a simple belt conveyor I 0, terminating at a saw, clipper or other quick means for transversely severing a sheet of assembled stock, as indicated diagrammatically at Il. At one side of the conveyor, a short distance from its receiving end, I.provide a glue spreader I2 and a supply of core stock il, and adjacent the receiving end itself are suitably located piles of the other veneer components such as faces I5', backs I5a and intermediate plies.

In ordinary plywood manufacture, the longitudinally extending plies are rectangles, as shown at I5, I5a, longer than their width with grain rallel with the length, and these plies are as l rge as the finished .panel with an additional alowance I8 for trim. In three-ply panels these plies are used as faces or backs and not spread with glue, while the core plies Il, instead of being a single sheet, as previously mentioned are made up of a series of edge-abutted and often comparatively narrow rectangles I8, Ila, lab, etc., such as are obtainable from the log without undue waste. These core pieces are, /of course, cut as long as the width of the face and also have grain parallel with the length. Before laying the cores in place, they are passed through the spreader I2 and` coated with glue on both surfaces. In the case of a three-ply panel, the ultimate disposition of the stockvis to have the glued core stock I8 transversely located between the unglued longitudinally extending face and back plies I5, I5a, as shown in Figure 3. In the case of panels having an odd' number of plies greater than three, intermediate longitudinally extending plies I5b (Fig. 11) are also required. These All of the unglued plies are laid longitudinally and are bound together by the transversely'laid glued core stock.

Two essential cooperative features characterize my invention. In practicing it, I continuously deposit on the moving conveyor III (Figs. 1 and 2) a layer of transversely laid edge-abuttedglue coated core plies I8 as received from the glue spreader I2, upon a previously continuously deposited lower layer of substantially end-abutted, adjacent or contiguous unglued plies I5, etc. In laying the glue coated core plies on the conveyor, I select pieces of such width as to provide individual cores which'overlap across the ends 25 of the lower layer of substantially end-abutted unglued plies and then, as the combined sheet passes along the conveyor to the location of the severing means il, usually a saw or clipper. I sever the combined sheet transversely approximately at the adjacent or contiguous ends 25 of the unglued plies before pressing the individual assemblies. The novel and vessential features are the adjacent or contiguous overlapping arrangement of the core plies I8 with respect to the ends 25 of the other plies I5 and-the feature of clipping-oilor severingthe combined sheet at these lines ofA substantial end abutment so as to provide individual assemblies suitable for handling vthrough the final pressing operation.

l I nd that these two features of providing a glue spread overlapping core ply and then severing the combined sheet may be used with various arrangements of the ply stock, so as to permit several convenient methods of completing the assembly. This permits me to produce any of the usual plywood combinations including in particular all the customary panels having an odd number of plies. Combinations having an even number of plies may also be produced.

Example 1.Referring to Figure 1, for instance, if I Wish to produce three-ply assemblies, by one method I may provide on the conveyor I0 a lower sheet consisting of a single thickness of substantially end-abutted unglued outer plies I5, then assemble thereon a layer of transversely laid edge-abutted glue coated coreplies I8, so laid that/the adjacent or contiguous ends 25 of `the lower plies are overlapped, then run the combined two-ply sheet down to the clipper II,

and, after the combined sheet is severed, superl to provide that the lower sheet of substantially are usually cut the full size 'of the panel the same 8s the faces and backs. In addition to the face and back plies, one intermediate ply I5b is` used for a five-ply panel with two transverselayers of glued core plies, while two intermediate plies I5c, I5d (Fig. 13) with three transverse core plies are used for a seven-ply panel and so on. Thus, in the usual procedure of assmbling panels,` the transverse cores I8 are the only plies which are spread with glue, while the other components are not passed through the spreader, but are left v unglued and receive the adhesive only by contact with the glued core plies. The unglued members include the faces I5, backs Ila and any intermediate plies lib, I5c, etc., which are required. 75

end-abutted unglued plies is of double thickness consisting of registered pairs including a. face ply I5 and a back ply I5a and then, after providing the transverse overlappingsheet I8 of glued core plies and severing the combined sheet at the adjacentor contiguous ends 25 of the runglued plies, these units maybe piled up suc/- cessively, vas shown in Figure 8, to form a stack of three-ply assemblies, it being noted, however,-

that on the bottom of the stack there will be a superfluous face ply I5 which is required on the top of the stack to form the top face ply, to complete the top assembly. In practice, I usually start the bottom sheet for the first assembly with only a singleply using two lplies thereafter and f fasaaios then, when the stack is completed, I lay ouy van extra ply to complete the top assembly. y

In Figure 8, suilicient ply assemblies are shown to form four plywood panels, but it Ymust be understood, of course, that, in practice, a far greater number of assemblies are usually employed. As indicated by the brackets, a, b, c and d, each representing a plywood panel, the panels are made up from the uppermost unglued ply Ia and the glue coated core ply Il of one assembly and thelowermost unglued ply I5 of the next assembly thereabove. The latter ply I5, when placed .upon the coated ply I8 of the assembly therebelow, adheres to the coating on the upper face of the core ply and itself becomes the face ply of the assembly therebelow. The brackets w, z, y and z, at the right of Figure 8, indicate individual assemblies, as they are piled up. It will be noted lthat the lowermost uncoated ply I5 of the assembly .1: adheres tothe upper face bracket b at thev left of Figure 8 and, so on. The

lowermost uncoated ply I5 of assembly w may be placed upon the upper face of the core ply I8 of the assembly z, to finish the stack, or the lowermost assembly w may include only a single uncoated lower panel, in-which case a separate panel I5is placed upon the upper surface of the assembly z to form the ply board c.

Example 3.-If itis desired to form multi-ply panel assemblies having any odd number of plies, this may be accomplished by using a single thickness sheet of substantially end-abutted unglued plies, then applying thereon a sheet of core stock made up of a series of transverse glued plies overlapping the adjacent or contiguous ends of the first mentioned plies, as before, and then after clipping the sheet at the abutments, as in Figures 1 and 2, an additional outer ply may be interposed during thepiling atA whatever interval is necessary to form multi-ply panel assemblies having the desired odd number of plies.

Example "4.-It isalso possible to make fiveply assemblies by a modification of the method described in Example 2. As shown in Figures 10 Y and 11, the modification consists in providing that the lower sheet of substantially end-abutted unglued plies I5, I5a instead of being continuously of double thickness, is laid alternately of single and then double thickness. In other words, upon alternate face plies I5, I lay a back ply I5a, while the intermediate plies I5b are left uncovered at the outs/et. After applying the glue spread overlapping transverse plies I8 over both ,the double and single thickness unglued plies and severing the sheet at the ends of the unglued plies, it will be found that if these units are piled successively, they will form a stack of five-ply assemblies, as indicated in Figure l1.4 Although that 'ilgure shows sufficient plies to make only a single five-ply panel, it will be understood that,.

coated vcore ply Il thereabove. The' lower'ply lib will befadhesively united in the stack to the upper, coated core ply Il of the assembly z'.

' If further assemblies' are piled on the stach-as in the usual practice, in accordance with the invention. thel three-ply-assembly z', shown at the left in Figure l0, will be superimposed upon the assembly y', so that the lower, uncoated face ply I5 thereof will be adhesively united to the upper surface of the coated core ply I8 of assembly y',

thereby forming a complete, five-ply panel a', as indicated by the bracket at the leftiof Figure 11.

Uncoated ply I5a of assembly z' will then con- Y stitute the bottom or back ply of the next ply board which will be built up in. a similar manner. The stack may be completed by taking the bottom ply I5 of the assembly a and placing it on top of the uppermost two-ply assembly or the uppermost assembly may be completed by simply placing an extra uncoated ply thereon.

Example 5.-Although seven-ply panels may be made in accordance with Example 2, a preferred method is indicated diagrammatically in Figures 12 and 13. In this case, I lay on the conveyor a pair of registered unglued panels I5, I5a followed by substantially end-abutted panels I5c, I5d lof single thickness, over all' of which ypanels glued core plies I8 are laid in the mannerL previously described, whereupon the series is cut in the usual manner. The pllesare stacked as indicated in Figure 13. 'I'lie bottom assembly .'c" comprisestwo uncoated plies I5, I5a .and an upper coated ply I8,v The next two assemblies y", z" comprise single uncoated plies I5c, Iid, respectively, and intermediate core plies I8. Upon the assembly z`", the next three ply assembly x" will be placed, whereupon the lower unglued ply I5 thereof will adhere to the assembly z". As a result the seven-ply board a will be formed.

The lowermost, unglued panel I5 of the lowermost assembly m" may, as indicated above, be used to complete the uppermost assembly, or an independent uncoated ply may be used for this purpose as previously indicated. Je-

As afurther modification, it will be seen that by putting registered pairs of core stock pieces through the spreader, so that the individual pieces of core stock are only spread with glue on one surface, it is possible to make up two-ply assemblies or any assembly having an even number of plies.

It will be understood that it is desirable to choose a core ply which will overlap the adjacent or contiguous ends of the lower plies considerably, beca-use this avoids the possibility of having one of the panels end with a core piece which is so narrow that it might fall out in handling. It is also evident that it is desirable to have another short conveyor 20 just beyond the saw or clipper II to handle the stock to the point where it is conveniently piled up, as indicated at 28 in Figures` 1 and 2. It will also be understood that `the piling of the assemblies before transferring them to the press may be done either manually or by any convenient piling apparatus. It will also be noted that in order to produce perfectly square assemblies, it is desirable thatthe saw or clipper II be located so as tomakerits cut'at an exact 90 angle to thefline of conveyor travel.

In some instances, the substantially abutting, contiguous ends 25', 26' of the face plies may not be entirely square with the side edges, and, in that case, the cutting means may be arranged and delay oi' tearing olf the glued core. l more, I ilnd that less allowance is required for f is extended to other plies than the core.

-edge and parallel with the front end of the following assembly. For this arrangement a pair of traveling saws 30, 3 I is preferably to a clipper.

It will be seen that by this method I eliminate any waste of glued core stock and also do away with the troublesome overlapping core feature of the former method, as well as the inconvenience Furthertrim at the ends of the panels, so that the saving I also find that in conjunction with-my system a saw, such as is shown digrammatically at 35may conveniently be installed along one or even both sides y of the conveyor to square up one or both side edges of the assemblies as they move ahead which permits a further economy in allowance for side trim. Usually, a saw is required only on. one side of the sheet, since, by laying the other edge against a butting board 36 that edge is kept glue which might become smeared onto the press plates. With the old method of y assembly, this trouble has been serious. Any smearing of glue on the press plates during loading tends to stick the panels to the press and cause dilculty in unloading, besides gradually causing foreign substances to build up on the press plates which will mar and indent subsequent panels.

Another important advantage is that the two ends of my assemblies are straight mutually parallel lines with' the margins of all the plies trimmed in exact register with each other. This is a new condition inr unconsolidated plywood assemblies which greatly facilitates loading and, of course, reduces trim and waste after -the panel is consolidated by the pressing. "I'he same feature true and all the plies on that edge are readily I f registered to a straight line by originally placing them tight against the butting board. This feature may be provided in the form of an endless belt 38 l(Figs. 4 and 5) resting on edge and arranged to travel at synchronous speed with the conveyor, thus eliminating friction and possible `applies also to the lateral edges of assemblies produced by my method where a butting board provides one true edge and saw is used to true up the opposite edge while the assemblies pass along the conveyor.y This also tends to facilitate handling of assemblies in loading'into a press'and makes a saving of stock removed when squaring up the finished panels for sale. It is important, of course, to arrange the saw or clipper that cuts the ends to make its cut exactly at a 90 angle to the sides of the assembly. With that condition maintained, there is little need for any further trim to produce accurate rectangular plywood.

Where, in the claims, reference is made to reg-` istered pairs of plies, I mean a pair of superposed plies with their edges in substantial registration.

stock is cut 96" long along the grain plus anuallowance for trim, andthe transverse core stock which runs across the width of the panel, is cutl to half this length. I nd that by providing a conveyor of two, panel width, to take panels side by side, as indicated at 31, 38 in Figure 15, and, instead of cutting the core stock to the usual 4 foot length, by leaving it in the original 8 foot length, as indicated at 39, it is possible for the core layer to, in eilect, lay down two core pieces 31, 38 at once which increases the output and does away with the labor and waste of originally cutting the core stock to 4 foot lengths. In such cases, the face stock may consist either of pieces 8 feet square or of two 4 x 8 pieces, as shown at 31, 3B in Figure 15, laid side by side with their side edge in substantial abutment at 25, but, in either case, the core stock 39 is put through the spreader in the 8 yfooi'I length and laid across the face stock. I then install an additional saw 40 a short distance down the conveyor which automatically cuts between the face stock on line 25" Also, the terms contiguous and adjacent are used synonymously, as fully defined in standard dictionaries, such as Websters New International, second edition.

It will thus be seen that my new method of assembly effects a series of savings yboth in labor and material which reach an aggregate economy i features stated in any of the following claims, or

and through the middle of the core stock on line 4i, as the assembly passesV by and severs the wide sheet to form two continuous sheets of three ply assembly suitable, for instance,l for panels four 'feet wide and eight feet long. I then clip both the equivalent of such, be

I claim:

l. A process of assembling rectangular component p lies required to make rplywood panels, in-v cluding glue coated core plies and uncoated face plies, which comprises continuously depositing in a moving line a succession of uncoated plies with the grain substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the line and with the ends of successive plies contiguous to each other, continuously depositing on said line of uncoated plies a succession of edge-abutted core plies of single thickness having both faces glue coated, having the grain transverse to the direction of movement of the line, and being substantially equal in length along the grain to the width of -the uncoated plies and arranged to overlap the contiguous ends thereof by a substantial amount, severing units from the lines of plies so formed by cutting the employed.

same on lines between the contiguous ends of the 2,828,105 `--cludingfglue coated `core plies and uncoatedface piles, which comprises continuously depositing in a moving line a succession of uncoated plies of single thickness only and with the grain substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the line and with their end edges contiguous to each other, continuously depositing on said line of uncoated plies a succession of edge-abutted core plies of single thickness having both faces glue coated, having the grain transverse to the direction of movement of the line, and being substantially equal in length along the grain to the Width of the uncoated, contiguous plies and arranged to overlap the lines of the ends thereof by a sub- K stantial amount, severing units from the lines of plies so formed by cutting the same on lines between the ends of the uncoated plies, and superposing upon the glue coated core plies of the severed units a single additional uncoated ply with the grain parallel to the grain in the first-mentioned uncoated pliesand with its edges substantially registered with the corresponding edges of the first-mentioned ply, thereby producing threeply plywood panels. y

3, A process of assembling rectangular component plies required to make plywood panels, including glue coated core plies and uncoated face plies, which comprises continuously depositing in a moving line a succession of uncoated plies superposed in registered pairs and with the ends of successive pairs in substantially abutting relation and with the grain substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the line, continuously depositing on the upper surface of said line of uncoated plies a succession of edge-'abutted core plies of single thickness having both faces glue coated, havingv the grain transverse to the direction of movement of the line, and being substantially equal in length along the grain to the width of the uncoated, end-abuttedplies and arranged to overlap the lines of -end-abutments thereof by a substantial amount, severing units from the lines of plies so formed by cutting'the same on the lines of end-abutment of the uncoated plies, and superposing a plurality of the severed units, whereby the lower uncoated ply of the superposed pairs of plies `in each unit, except in theflowermost unit, is positioned directly upon and adhered to the glue coated core ply of the unit therebelow to form three-ply plywood'panels. 4. A process of assembling rectangular component plies required to make plywood panels, including glue coated core plies and uncoated face plies, which comprises continuously Vdepositing in a moving line a series of uncoated plies arranged longitudinally with the grain substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the line and in substantially end-abutted relation, the plies in `ply and' two-ply units, each having an upper glue coated ply, and superposing the series of units thus produced with the three-ply and two-ply assemblies alternating, whereby ve-ply plywood panels are produced, each comprising the upper two plies of a first three-ply assembly, both plies of theY next two ply assemblies and the lowermost uncoated face ply of a second three-ply assembly.

5. A process of assembling rectangular component plies required to make plywood panels, including glue coated core plies and uncoated face plies, which comprises continuously depositing in a moving line a succession of substantially end-abutted uncoated plies of substantially twice the width of the desired finished plywood panels and with the grain substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the line, continuously depositing on said line of uncoated plies. a succession of edge-abutted core plies of single thickness having both faces glue coated, having the grain transverse to the direction of movement of the line and being substantially equal in length along the grain to the width of the line of uncoated, end-abutted plies and arranged to overlap the lines of end-abutment thereof by a substantial lamount,.then severing the lines of uncoated and glue coated plies longitudinally of the moving line substantially midway between the side edges thereof, then severing from the two lines so produced, pairs of adjacent units by cutting the lines on the lines of end-abutment of 'the uncoated` plies, and superposing upon the glue coated core plies of each of the severed units an additional uncoated ply with the grainparallel to the grain in the first-mentioned ply and with its edges substantially registered with the corresponding edges of the first-mentioned ply.

6. In the manufacture of plywood, the process which comprises depositing in a moving line, a succession of substantially rectangular uncoated plies with the grain substantially parallel to the l direction of movement of the line and with the ends of successive plies contiguous to each other, continuously depositing on said line of uncoated plies a, succession of edge-abutted glue coated Y, plies of single thickness with the grain transverse to the direction of movement of the line and substantially equal in length, along the grain,

the series being arranged in a repeating cycle oi' a pair of superposed registered plies alternating with a. single ply, continuously depositing on the upper surface of saidline of uncoated plies a succession of edge-abutted core plies of single thicklines.. of end-abutment ot the uncoated plies,

thereby alternately producing individual threeto the width of the uncoated plies and arranged to overlap the adjacent, substantially abutting ends thereof by a substantial amount, severing units from the lines'of lplies so formed by cutting the same on lines between the contiguous ends of the uncoated plies, and pressing the severed units to unite the glue coated plies to the uncoated face plies, to produce plywood panels.

7. In the manufacture'of plywood, the method which comprises the following steps in suitable order; positioning a plurality of face members in lineand in contiguous end to end relation; `providing adhesive material for both faces of cross banding stock; placing said cross banding stock on said face members withthe cross banding stock in edge abutting relation and extending continuously over both the face members and the ends of the race members; cutting the portions o! the cross banding across the ends of each two face members; and placing other face members on said cross banding stock in substantial registration respectively with said rst named face members.

aa'munawnwn.

stockthat extendsl 

